What is the 1st thing you want to introduce your beneficiary to here in USA?

[Pennycat 880]

Ha! I just realized that that's the third vote for a hockey game! Excellent! (Although I do have to say I question some of your all's taste in teams ). They ARE really fun in person, and I've long been really into them and he knows it and is curious. Our team has open practices in a facility that also has a public rink so I'm thinking we'll go watch practice one of those days I have off and try our hand at skating, then go to a game the next gameday (they practice in a closed session in the arena on game days so you can't do it all).

This is now the THIRD season opener in a row that I'll be in Central America. I am pleased that it is likely to be my last. I also spent two Winter Classics, including the one in which my team was playing at home and won! The sacrifices I make....

Edited October 6, 2015 by CatherineA

[4 the luv of Masr 14]

I think we're going to *have to* go to Ikea. Sigh. I suppose it is an American tradition of sorts: move, unpack, go to Ikea.

We need, at a minimum, another dresser for him but probably a wardrobe. 1810s homes didn't come with closets standard. And somehow in my months of collecting winter clothing for him (being from the tropics, I don't think he's seen a wool sweater in is life, let alone owned one, so I've hitting up the clearance sales online all summer-- turned out to be a genius idea), I neglected to realize that we have no place to store said clothes.

Other than that, I think walking around the neighborhood to get the lay of the land, carving a pumpkin, going to a hockey game, learning the Metro and hanging out at the local pub are all going to be in order in the first few days. I've got some flextime from work so I think I'm going to work only half days for 3 of the 5 days in his first week (and off 2). So I suppose he'll take the Metro into work with me, go to a Smithsonian museum and then meet me for a late lunch on those three days.

This sounds like an AMAZING time; I totally got caught up in what you wrote. First of all i'm jealous you live in a home from the 1800s era you lucky dog. My husband is coming from Egypt so good point about the clothing; definitely a priority. Best of luck and enjoy...that first week is going to be one to remember!

[Blue Bianchi 77]

A great post, and one we can have some fun with.

When I brought my wife here, when we left the airport, it was dusk, and when we got on the interstate, and it got dark, she wanted to know,""where was the street lights and the public transportation""".,.,..(jeepneys, buses, taxi's etc.) I laughed so hard, I was embarrassed, so on the drive to our home, I had to explain the difference in transportation, and why no street lights on rural interstates.

I took her to town the next day, and showed her there was some taxi's and street lights.,.,.,.I cannot describe how funny this was. We still laugh about it to this day.

She probably thought you were taking her to the forest to chop her up.

[Pennycat 880]

This sounds like an AMAZING time; I totally got caught up in what you wrote. First of all i'm jealous you live in a home from the 1800s era you lucky dog. My husband is coming from Egypt so good point about the clothing; definitely a priority. Best of luck and enjoy...that first week is going to be one to remember!

Thanks It doesn't hurt that this is my absolute favorite time of year (oh and lest I jinx it...the whole "carve a pumpkin" thing is if we hit our guesstimated POE, of course) and I am absolutely in love with my town.

I suppose first-first-first rather than the week long plan. I think we'll stop at a landmark on the way home from the airport. I'd say the Capitol but it's under construction and the dome is completely covered in scaffolding now, so Washington Monument or Jefferson Memorial---depending on where there's parking

And yes, for sure on the winter clothing. The best time to look is the summer but there are still deals to be had for sure. All "last year's" stuff but honestly, it doesn't matter. I had really good luck on the Sierra Trading Post online store. And the Hudson Trail Outfitters (sort of like a Canadian version of REI) is going completely out of business and most items are 30-40% off. In store only, but so worth it if there's one near you. I got him a winter coat, boots and Smartwool socks there.

And yes! I live in a historic district and feel lucky for it every day. I love love it here, and my apartment, and I've made some big tradeoffs to be able to stay but for me it's worth it (and I'm hoping my fiance feels the same or we're going to struggle a bit with that...) My first apartment here was actually in a house built in the 1780s-- older than the constitution. That was interesting, calling to get renters insurance!

[jamyestrella 8]

Don't laugh but I'm dying to take him to walmart! He's going to be like...what? Tires, socks, food under one roof? Hahaha

HAHAHAHA, Its good to know I"m not the only one who thinks this.

[Jo Së 200]

I read through a lot of the responses and it seems like majority here are obsessed with food or supermarkets.

I've taken my wife on hiking trips, Mt Rainier, camping, walks on the waterfront, Seattle attractions, the only store she seems to love is IKEA though.

[Pennycat 880]

I read through a lot of the responses and it seems like majority here are obsessed with food or supermarkets.

I've taken my wife on hiking trips, Mt Rainier, camping, walks on the waterfront, Seattle attractions, the only store she seems to love is IKEA though.

Well, to be fair... people have to eat and knowing where the supermarket is is just practical (I just texted my fiance what he wants to do first-- thinking he'd come up with something fun and he said "learn where are the important things like the supermarket are, and learn how to use the metro"). Food is a big part of culture-- about a third of the pages in most travel guides seem to focus on restaurants and local cuisine. Plus depending on "how foreign" of a place the beneficiary is coming from and if they've traveled to the US before or if they've traveled *at all* before, take this concept and put it on steroids. Plus it's a big part of family life (to different degrees in different families)-- cooking for each other, eating together etc. And we're all really looking forward to being families who get to actually live together. I get it.

[Yazid+Kim 0]

Wal-mart..sorry...I know it was said often but we even discussed this lolol

[heo luoi 206]

I read through a lot of the responses and it seems like majority here are obsessed with food or supermarkets.

I've taken my wife on hiking trips, Mt Rainier, camping, walks on the waterfront, Seattle attractions, the only store she seems to love is IKEA though.

Im gonna try to take her camping w/ my friend and out on the lake but that'll have to wait til next year now! Not much touristy stuff in my area.

Outdoors stuff sounds cool when the temps pick back up. The shooting range will be pretty interesting idea.

Maybe a girlie club to just see the expression on her face.

Edited October 6, 2015 by heo luoi

[Andrea&Henry 311]

My husband took me shopping hahahahahaha....We live in north miami. I came here several time even before I met him so everything wasn't new for me. But I was very very excited still. We went to a mall and then IKEA, and then dinner

[MelB22 6]

Walmart and steak.

He doesn't believe all the weird ppl that shop there and the fact that you can get ANYTHING at 4am- everything back home closes by 6pm.

Same place I'm taking my husband lol. Everything in JA closes early kmt.

[naire37 53]

I think we're going to *have to* go to Ikea. Sigh. I suppose it is an American tradition of sorts: move, unpack, go to Ikea.

We need, at a minimum, another dresser for him but probably a wardrobe. 1810s homes didn't come with closets standard. And somehow in my months of collecting winter clothing for him (being from the tropics, I don't think he's seen a wool sweater in is life, let alone owned one, so I've hitting up the clearance sales online all summer-- turned out to be a genius idea), I neglected to realize that we have no place to store said clothes.

Other than that, I think walking around the neighborhood to get the lay of the land, carving a pumpkin, going to a hockey game, learning the Metro and hanging out at the local pub are all going to be in order in the first few days. I've got some flextime from work so I think I'm going to work only half days for 3 of the 5 days in his first week (and off 2). So I suppose he'll take the Metro into work with me, go to a Smithsonian museum and then meet me for a late lunch on those three days.

I read this and almost laughed, like "I know my man has seen sweaters that are not wool, but not that many"... he's coming to Boston from absolute freezing temperatures of Russian North (they got snow already), so I think it's going to be an interesting experience doing the summer clothes shopping when time comes. You know, shorts / capri / any kind of not full-length pants.

As for the places: well, walk around the town, bus stop, metro stop, nearest place to get cigars, supermarket.. and then either New Hampshire hiking (folliage is beautiful right now!), or going to see the progress of our new house (new construction, almost done!! so close!)... or Home Depot to get him all the tools he needs instead of ones he left behind. Also, probably, MIT Robotics Museum and Science Museum in Boston.

p.s. He's coming this Friday. Woot!!

Edited October 6, 2015 by naire37

[TBoneTX 45,288]

Sort of delayed, but when Mrs. T-B. got her first green card, I took her on a whistle-stop series of day-visits to Texas/Mexico border cities (7 or 8 crossings in 4 days). She was obsessed with finding restaurants (often to the exclusion of other sightseeing), and she was most amazed by the reality that she didn't have to speak a word of English on either side of the border if she didn't want to.

[Joshua@Tinz 52]

Nah, civil disobedience doesn't fly here.

tianamen square,

A real steak, beef in Asia is so bad

[Limey 551]

Things I wanted to do when I got to the states are all the things the US is famous for...

1) have a fight with someone over a TV set in Walmart on Black Friday, while riding one of Walmart's electric mobility scooters

2) buy an AK47 and take it into Starbucks when I order my coffee (the founding fathers knew freedom would end if I couldn't go into a coffee shop carrying automatic firearms)

3) take part in an eating competition

4) own a John Deere sit on mower

Disappointed that so far I haven't done any of these, but hope to get number 4 ticked off soon